China is telling poachers to fuck themselves by banning ivory trade by the end of 2017.

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Not only is China literally vacuuming pollution out of the air, but they’re also making big steps towards banning all ivory trade and processing. China has recently announced that they will be banning all ivory trade and processing activities by the end of 2017. The first factories and shops will be handing in their licences by the end of March 2017.

The move follows a resolution at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in South Africa in October.

Over 20,000 elephants are poached and slaughtered every year and only approx. 415,000 elephants remain today. At this rapid decline, it’s easy to see why so many countries are getting on board with the ban of ivory.

Ivory can reach up to $1,100 per kilogram in China; some estimates suggest that 70% of the world’s ivory trade ends up there. This ban is a game-changer for the future of elephants.

This ban is a game-changer for the future of elephants.

A biotech start-up is already fooling poachers by flooding the market with fake rhino horns, and elephant ivory may even be in the works.

WWF is calling this news a “historic announcement…signalling an end to the world’s primary legal ivory market and a major boost to international efforts to tackle the elephant poaching crisis in Africa.”

According to the Great Elephant Census, elephant populations in Africa have shrunk by one third over the last seven years due to an aggressive surge in elephant murder.

Hopefully China doesn’t go the same route as Hong Kong where although ivory is banned, they’ve still given out over 400 licenses to sell ivory which dates back before 1989.